A stranger in their midst
by Shadow Of Castiel
Summary: Sam brings a stranger unwittingly into the motel room, leading to confusion and much more! Warnings for a threesome later in the fic. Rated M for adult content. Dean/Castiel/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note - **This fic was written at my bestest matey's request, and I hope you like this, Dany! XD

* * *

**A stranger in their midst**.

The trouble didn't start until the exact moment when Sam came into the motel room leading a dazed and confused Castiel behind him wearing a seemingly different, and decidedly blacker than usual, coat. Sam admittedly looked confused by the differing wardrobe but not as confused as when he saw another Castiel seated inside the motel room with his brother, conversing over the flickering screen of Sam's laptop, familiar tan trenchcoat draped around Castiel's slim build.

Both Dean and Castiel looked up when the door to the motel room opened, taking in first Sam, then the stranger behind him, matching looks of astonishment stamped across their faces at the sight of the man who bore a striking resemblance to Castiel standing beside the uncomfortable looking Sam Winchester.

After many awkward questions asked, the threat of being shot or stabbed by Dean and the actual throwing of Holy water clean in the man's face, recriminations shot towards Sam for endangering them all, they decided it was time they checked the man's ID. The Winchesters ascertained that the stranger in their midst was called Steven Novak, a cousin of Castiel's vessel Jimmy Novak, which at least explained the bizarre and uncanny similarity between Castiel and the new arrival.

That didn't stop Dean's eyebrows lifting, a smirk pulling his lips out into a pout as he said - "Would the real Castiel please stand up? Please stand up? Please stand up!"

He tried to duck Sam's giant hand but he was too slow, receiving a clout around the ear for his efforts at trying to lighten the mood. This left him staring first at Castiel, then to Steven, marvelling over their similarities and also their differences.

Their dark hair curled up in front in the same way, was basically the same length and style, their suits matched, even their skin tones were similar. The only differences between the two was Steven had green eyes instead of blue and a black coat instead of a tan one. Dean was angry that Sam hadn't noticed a glaringly obvious thing as coat and eye color before bringing him into their motel room without questioning him first. Sam merely shrugged at that and looked embarrassed, uncertain as to what to say to his brother.

Steven, when asked by Dean mostly, vaguely remembered snippets of his old life, which mirrored Jimmy's, of being talked to by an angel, of being assured he was a valid angel's vessel, and then nothing for a few years. He couldn't even remember the name of the angel that had been riding him for so long or even if he'd ever known it at all.

Castiel turned a curious gaze onto Dean, before he said - "Dean, can I talk to you a moment?"

"Sure," Dean replied, staring at Castiel expectantly, his face set in a curious look as though he expected the angel to start talking straight away.

"Outside," Castiel prompted, sternly, gaze intent and as stern as his tone of voice.

"Okay, dude, whatever," Dean replied, turning to open the door, feeling the blast of cold air slap him in the face and sending shivers over his previously warm body and raising goose flesh in serried raised bumps across his skin.

Castiel refused to speak until the door had swung shut behind them, casting a look and staring at the curious face of Sam peering out at them momentarily. The younger Winchester disappeared, leaving them alone for the moment. Dean could dimly see Steven Novak moving around inside, and the vague sound of Sam talking to him tersely.

"What is it, Cas?" Dean asked, rubbing his chilled arms with the flats of his hands, stamping his feet slightly to get the circulation flowing once more.

"I was thinking about what that guy was saying about being a vessel," Castiel said, slowly, swinging one pointing finger up and towards the man still housed within the confines of their motel room.

"Being a vessel sure runs in the family, doesn't it?" Dean snorted, without real humor.

"As it does in yours, Dean," Castiel replied, immediately, one thin eyebrow raised as he stared pointedly at the hunter.

Dean backed down at that, knowing the angel's statement to be correct. He himself was the vessel for Michael, and they both knew Sam was the vessel for Lucifer. Disliking the fact didn't take away the truth of their own situation.

"Okay, just say the Novaks are as screwy as our own family, then what?" Dean asked. "Just who is he a vessel for?"

"I don't know, Dean. That's what I was wondering. The only thing I can do is to call the angel down, physically," and Castiel turned back to the motel room, plump lips pressed down into a firm line of dissatisfaction.

"There's still some of that oil left, right? The magical angel juice that called Raphael," and Dean rolled his eyes. "Bang up job with that, by the way."

"He hasn't bothered us since, has he?" Castiel asked, refusing to turn back to Dean.

Dean sighed, and wondered if he'd offended Castiel in any way. He closed the distance between them, cupped Castiel's warm cheek with one chilled hand and turned the angel's face to his for a moment.

"Cas, I'm sorry," Dean murmured, the apology alien on his lips, yet still feeling like he had to do it anyway, for Castiel. "Let's do things your way and hope to Hell it works. If it doesn't - "

Castiel tilted his head to the side as he waited for the hunter to continue.

"If it doesn't, then we're gonna have one more angry angel on our ass," Dean said, with a small attempt at a smile. "Like we haven't got enough of those already after us. We're in this together, remember? Both of us. And Sam is too."

Dean tried another smile, and Castiel's own smile was brief, fleeting but at least it was there, warming his eyes as he stared intently at Dean.

"Yes, Dean," Castiel replied, his voice pitched low and intimate, as his gaze softened, became more tender now that Dean was close at hand, inches away from him. "I suggest we call the angel as soon as possible."

Dean nodded, smiled once more, a lazy uplift to his lips as he closed the distance between them, breath huffing in hot gasps against Castiel's soft lips invitingly. Castiel didn't pull away, just closed his eyes and waited, lips parted in invitation, too distracted now to continue. Dean leant in still further, pressed his lips against Castiel's, enjoying the feel of their soft silken surfaces beneath his own. Castiel responded, one hand pushed through Dean's hair and drawing him in closer, deepening the kiss with encouraging sounds of approval breaking the air between them.

Unknown to them, Steven Novak watched them from the motel room window, curiously, large green eyes blinking in surprised approval. He turned away dropping the blinds closed guiltily as Sam returned from the bathroom, unaware that the stranger had been spying on his brother and his lover.

"You want food?" Sam asked, grimly, uncertain as to whether he wanted the strange man in their midst, or even what he was doing there.

He was suspicious that the newcomer was a spy, and was only faking his lack of memory previously, but one look in those guileless green eyes had Sam convinced that maybe he wasn't lying, at all, and hadn't been sent by agencies unknown to find out their next move. He tried to smile at the man, sighing as he pushed his hand through his hair wearily when the man smiled slightly back.

"Food will be fine," Steven said, agreeably. "I haven't eaten in months."

"You know, I've heard that one before. If you're gonna be anything like Jimmy - " and Sam shuddered in remembrance at the amount of food Jimmy Novak had packed in after Castiel had vacated his body.

Sam still had nightmares about that one moment. He'd never seen one man eat so much, not even his brother and Dean could eat for America if he wanted. He shook his head and forced himself back into reality once more, before he picked his jacket up again from his bed, sighing as he strode to the door to leave.

"Be back soon," he said to the newcomer, wearily. "Just don't eat the bed, okay?"

He left before Steven could provide a response or question his odd choice of words, leaving the staring man alone in the middle of the motel room ...

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-**tbc**-


	2. Chapter 2

"So you two are like a couple, right?" Steven asked, from around a mouthful of burger and pizza combined, waving the burger at Dean, then Castiel. "Only I saw you kissing outside earlier ... "

"No, dude, we're not like a couple, we are a couple," Dean muttered his correction, trying not to pay too much attention to the famished man beside him, concentrating on his own fries instead.

Castiel smiled beside him, one slender hand resting on Dean's knee possessively as Dean shovelled a handful of salted fries into his mouth hungrily. Dean nudged him with his elbow and offered his carton of fries to the angel beside him encouragingly.

"You know, dude, you should try some of these. They're delicious," Dean encouraged, raising one fry to Castiel's mouth, enticingly.

"Thank you, Dean, you've now put me off what little appetite I had left," Sam immediately said, pushing the last of his burger away from his own body with a look of sour disgust on his face.

"You're just jealous, bitch," Dean said, smiling when Castiel surprisingly took the fry from the hunter's outstretched fingers, lips lingering against Dean's fingers before he chewed upon the salted potato appreciatively.

"Jerk," Sam said, softly, but he didn't try to deny any overtures of jealousy, which was all Dean needed to know.

The elder Winchester surprisingly didn't say anything to Sam, merely turned back to the still eating Steven Novak beside him, smiling when he saw Castiel's slender hand snaking out to steal another fry from Dean's cardboard carton.

"Why are you asking, anyway?" Dean asked, referring to Steven's earlier question, as he pushed the fries closer towards Castiel, inviting him to take more.

"No reason, just curious," Steven shrugged. "I didn't know that humans could - "

Then he stopped and had the decency to look embarrassed by own his own assumption.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying. I don't even know you," Steven said, guiltily. "I barely knew Jimmy and he's not even Jimmy any more."

This last as he pointed towards Castiel with a blank expression stamped over his handsome face.

"I get it; he's family. You're bound to be concerned about family. He's fine, dude," Dean said, softly. "Wherever Jimmy is right now, he's bound to be in a better place. I think he's even smiling down on me and Castiel. He'd want us to be happy."

Steven's eyes bugged out at Dean's implications, before he turned away, sadly.

"I'm sorry," was all he offered to Dean.

"It's fine - it's Castiel I'm in love with anyway," Dean rejoined, so quietly, it was almost missed by everyone but Castiel.

"Thank you, Dean," Castiel replied, just as softly, leaning forward to press a salt stained kiss to Dean's mouth gently.

"Okay, I think that's it for me, guys. I'm beat," Sam said, swiftly, getting up from the table to head for the bathroom without a glance back at the table left behind. "And keep it down, right? We have company."

The bathroom door swung shut on Dean's disapproving shout, yet still, Sam smiled anyway. Despite his pointed jabs, he was pleased that Dean and Castiel were obviously so in love - at least something good, something positive had come out of the ongoing Apocalypse still waging outside their door.

* * *

Dean felt the covers lifting from him as Castiel settled in the bed beside him, arm drifting around the hunter's waist as the angel settled his body against Dean's back. The hunter smiled lazily, eyes too weary from the day to fully open and he settled his body closer into Castiel's, lifting the angel's hand to kiss his lover's fingertips gently.

Castiel leant in still further, shirt crinkling as it brushed against Dean's naked back, ripe lips lingering against the soft skin at the nape of Dean's neck. Dean shuddered against him, a sleepy, aroused moan working past his firm lips, eyes struggling to open against the tiredness pushing them down again. Castiel shushed him, gently, quietly, leaning in to press a kiss to Dean's ear, breath huffing against the skin in hot blasts.

"Go to sleep, Dean," Castiel murmured in the hunter's ear. "I'll still be here in the morning. I've got you."

Dean smiled as sleep started to claim him for its own, and the hunter's hand curled around Castiel's, fingers clutching at the angel's possessively as though never wanting to let him go. Castiel settled into Dean's body, curling his arm still closer around his lover, cheek resting against the back of Dean's neck. He cradled the hunter's body against his own, comforted by Dean's heat, the steady rise and fall of his sleepy chest, the faint noises Dean made as he slept.

Castiel remained awake, alert, even though his eyes were closed and feigning sleep for the outside world, smiling whenever he heard his own name muttered in Dean's sleep, that one word drawn out with such longing, such love that Castiel clutched Dean still closer to his body to calm him, to let the hunter know he was still there.

The angel knew that he would never let anything harm Dean, would never let anything come between them or compromise their love for one another. He listened to Dean's sleep, becoming unaware of anything else except for Dean. He was the one that mattered to Castiel.

The angel missed the fact that Steven Novak was standing nearby and watching them while they cuddled beneath the sheets, one awake but unaware, the other asleep yet equally unaware. The young man smiled, face inscrutable in the darkness, eyes shadowed by mysterious thoughts as his back stiffened slightly, posture changing momentarily until his shoulders sagged once again, as though the fit had never been ...

* * *

-**tbc**-


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Sam was the first to rise, gentle movements transporting him through the motel room, in an attempt to not wake anyone. By the time he returned from the bathroom, however, he saw that Steven was up, perched on the side of his bed, looking worn down and tired, while across the room, Dean was stirring into wakeful life. A yawn split Dean's face, making Castiel smile behind him, slender fingers stroking Dean's chest gently.

Dean turned his head slightly, when he'd stopped yawning, to claim a kiss from Castiel's responsive mouth, before Dean yawned once more, fingers scrubbing his eyes to wake him still further.

"Hey," Sam said, from the doorway to the bathroom, walking back properly into the main room and shovelling abandoned clothes back into his bag without due care or concern.

"Hey, Sammy," Dean said, on the tail end of a yawn. "Bathroom free?"

"Yeah," Sam replied, turning away as Dean padded across to the bathroom.

Steven remained silent during the brief exchange, looking lost, alone, out of his depth with unfamiliar people surrounding him, who seemed so at ease with each other. His gaze remained trained to the floor, barely took any notice when Castiel followed Dean into the bathroom to close the door firmly shut behind them.

"Dean, we need to talk," Castiel said, deep voice making Dean jump in the otherwise silent bathroom.

"Dude, I told you loads of times about that, you gotta learn to stop creeping up on a person in the morning. Damn near gave me a heart attack," Dean said, looking up at his lover in the mirror while he squeezed toothpaste out on to his toothbrush.

"My apologies, Dean. Next time, I will announce my arrival," Castiel replied, with more contrition than a lot of people would show in the same position.

Dean smiled at his reflection in the mirror, lips wrapped round his toothbrush as he cleaned his teeth firmly. A wave of affection passed through his body, blossomed and wound its way through him, turning into the familiar love once more, before he turned to face the angel, toothbrush still hanging when Castiel didn't continue speaking.

"What is it, Cas?" Dean prompted from around his mouthful of plastic and bristles. "You said we needed to talk."

"The ritual. I think we should do it today," Castiel replied, plump lips pushed out as though he were a naughty child scolded over something unknown.

His eyes flickered up to meet Dean's momentarily, reminding Dean still further of a naughty schoolboy waiting for his wrists to be slapped. A frown of confusion worked its way across the hunter's face, and he scratched the back of his head with one hastily raised hand.

He removed his toothbrush from his mouth, toothpaste bubbles smeared across his lips,. before he asked - "What is it, Cas? What's the matter?"

Castiel refused to look at him, merely shrugged, looking even more like a recalcitrant child than ever. Dean sighed, felt his heart go out to the angel standing before him, before closing the gap between them, so close he could feel the heat from Castiel's body baking into his own. His fingers curled around Castiel's chin, tilted his head up so that the angel had no choice but to look Dean in the eye without escape.

"Tell me, Cas," Dean said, gently, tongue sweeping out to remove the last of the toothpaste from his lips.

Castiel's eyes tracked his tongue hungrily, as though he wanted to kiss the toothpaste away himself, but Dean wouldn't let him. The hunter wanted answers first.

"Castiel," Dean said, using the angel's full name in a way he'd never done before.

Castiel's eyes flew up to meet Dean's, visibly surprised that Dean had, for once, not used his nickname, knew that the hunter now meant business and wouldn't give up until Castiel had told him what was wrong. The angel sighed, shoulders rising and falling in defeat before his gaze flickered, then held Dean's in determination.

"Dean, do you - ?" and Castiel pointed out towards the main room. "Do you want - Steven?"

"Come again?" Dean asked him, eyes blinking furiously as he tried to make sense of Castiel's sudden question.

Castiel remained silent, as though to say the question aloud again would hurt him. Dean took pity on him and didn't make him repeat it.

"Why would you think I'd want him, Cas?" the hunter asked. "I'm guessing you mean the same way I want you, right?"

Castiel nodded slowly, lips pushed out into a ripe pout and looking even more kissable than usual. Dean swallowed, need clouding his thoughts as he struggled to stop himself from kissing Castiel until the conversation was over.

"He looks just like me, Dean, or rather he looks like Jimmy," Castiel said, slowly, voice uncertain.

"Yeah. And?" Dean asked, shrugging expansively, hand finally dropping from Castiel's chin to rest comfortingly on the angel's shoulder, fingers stroking against Castiel's clean, crisp shirt teasingly.

"He's whole, Dean. He's not broken like me, fallen. He has no abandoned angel inside him that's hunted," and Castiel looked away, true pain evident in his gaze that Dean couldn't help but miss.

Dean drew him into a hug, eyes closed and a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth when he felt Castiel's hands slide tentatively around his waist, locking securely at the small of the hunter's back. Dean rested his chin on the angel's shoulder, and kissed his ear, Castiel's dark hair tickling across the hunter's freckled cheeks in gentle patterns.

"Cas, he might look like you, but he's not you," Dean said, turning Castiel to face him again. "It's you I want, not anyone else. I don't need anyone else."

This last was said with such force, such ferocity that Castiel smiled shakily, knew that Dean meant every word that he was saying to him.

"It's what's in here that means everything to me," Dean said, tapping Castiel's chest, his head with reaching fingers, as though trying to indicate Castiel himself, rather than Jimmy. "Not the vessel."

Castiel blinked, then he said - "Do you want me to change my vessel, Dean?"

Dean gaped at him, mouth open, eyes wider, before he laughed at Castiel, joyful sound making Castiel smile himself.

"No, Cas, I don't want you to change your vessel. Sure I like Jimmy, but I like you more," and Dean frowned, as though like wasn't the word he wanted to use.

Castiel's smile turned soft, and he stroked Dean's cheek gently.

"I think the word you want is love, Dean," Castiel supplied, letting the hunter off the hook graciously.

Dean grinned, then said - "Yeah, what you said. I've never had anyone to - love - before. And don't you dare say I want anyone else, Cas, because I don't. I won't ever want anyone else again, and certainly not him out there. He's not you."

And Dean jerked his chin to the main room as though indicating Steven. Castiel gave Dean one of his almost there smiles, fleeting yet still intense, and he leant in to press a lingering kiss against Dean's mouth gently.

"Good, but I still want him gone," Castiel said decisively, soft blue eyes turning hard and unreadable in the light from the bathroom lamp hanging overhead.

"Huh, I never pegged you for the jealous, possessive type, dude," Dean said, laughing at the angel held securely in his arms.

Castiel tilted his head to the side and studied Dean curiously.

"Is that a problem, Dean?" he asked, blinking slowly as though there were any other option other than how he was acting at that moment in time.

Dean didn't spend long thinking about that question. His tongue lapped out over his firm lips before he said - "No, Cas. That's not a problem. In fact, I kinda like it, turns me on."

He leant in and nuzzled Castiel's neck hard, teeth nipping his skin and marking him. Castiel's always surprising rumble of a laugh coiled through his body, sending pleasurable vibrations through Dean's body, making his nips turn harsher.

"Dean," Castiel murmured, turning his head to face the hunter's more fully, lips puckered, begging for a kiss.

Dean stopped biting Castiel's neck and transferred his mouth to Castiel's soft lips instead, kissing him forcefully, barely giving either of them room to breathe. A harsh rap of knuckles on the door announced someone clamoring for attention, making first Dean, then Castiel groan against each other's mouths at the interruption.

-**tbc**-


	4. Chapter 4

"Dude, are you ever coming outta there today? Steven wants to use the shower," Sam's voice said, near the door, sounding a little curious as to what his brother and Castiel were doing in the bathroom.

Dean looked at Castiel, Castiel looked at Dean and they shrugged at each other.

"Always later, right?" Castiel asked, disappointment clear in his voice.

"There always is a later for us," Dean said, tone of voice brooking no argument.

A glimmer of a smile played across Castiel's face and he nodded slowly at Dean. He leant in, claimed another open mouthed, wet kiss from Dean's mouth before Sam knocked on the door again, more forcefully this time, breaking up the kiss once more.

"Dean, did you hear what I said?" Sam asked, tone of voice bitchy, irritated, typical of Sam.

Dean strode across the bathroom, one hand wrapped securely around Castiel's, opening the door into Sam's glowering face with a scowl of his own.

"Dude, do you mind? I'm in here with my freaking boyfriend," Dean said, walking past his brother with Castiel in surprised tow.

"Yeah, whatever, Dean," Sam replied, hands upraised as he tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile from the room at large. "Just carry it on somewhere else."

"That's the point, we can't," Castiel replied, making Sam look embarrassed, scratch the back of his neck as he blushed uncomfortably.

Sam didn't say anything, however, just turned away as though the angel hadn't spoken. Dean laughed, at that, cuddling Castiel close to his own body and making one of Castiel's rare smiles appear. He gazed intently at Dean, adoration clear in his eyes as he stared, as though begging for approval at his words from Dean.

"Good response, Cas," Dean said, as he leant in to press a kitten peck to Castiel's cheek.

"I think you're rubbing off on him, Dean," Sam muttered darkly from across the room.

"What was that?" Dean asked, still laughing over Castiel's well timed response.

"Nothing, Dean," Sam replied, unable to hide his smile from his brother or Castiel.

"I'm sorry, I think I should be going," Steven said, from the doorway of the bathroom, tone of voice uncomfortable. "I feel like I'm intruding."

"Go? Go where?" Dean asked, immediately, not denying the fact that Steven was, indeed, intruding upon them.

That fact didn't go lost on Steven, and he smiled sadly at the hunter.

"I think I should go home - the one on my driving licence," he said, turning his gaze onto Castiel next. "For what it's worth, Castiel, I like you. You picked a good man in Dean."

"Thank you, I know," Castiel replied, immediately, looking surprised, touched, peaceful, as he turned his gaze to Dean's momentarily.

Even Dean looked touched by the other man's words, guilt tempering his gaze over wanting the man gone and he tried to smile at him.

"I'm sorry things are the way they are, Steven," Dean told him. "If things could be any different - "

His voice trailed off and he shrugged helplessly at the other man. Steven smiled at that, looking pleased by the comment, or the sentiment behind it at least.

"Thank you, Dean," he said. "I'd best be on my way."

"Take a shower, then we'll drive you to the bus station, okay?" Dean said. "At least let us do that."

Steven nodded, but remained silent, disappearing into the bathroom without further word or comment. Sam stared at the now closed door, looking guilty himself, even though he wasn't sure why. He turned, glancing at Dean and Castiel on Dean's bed, bodies entwined comfortably, making Sam smile afresh.

"I'm grabbing some food from the diner across the street," the younger Winchester announced into the heavy silence. "Anyone want anything?"

"Pie," Dean predictably said. "Bring me some pie. Apple, or cherry if there's no apple."

Sam turned his gaze to Castiel's, who shook his head at the young hunter.

"No, thank you, Sam. I am fine," he said, gruff voice warm as Dean kissed him on the cheek gently.

Sam smiled, then left the room without a backward glance at either of the two lovers, fearing what he'd see, if he did glance back even once. Dean waited until Sam had gone, before moving, rifling through his bag but he couldn't find the jar of oil that Castiel had once brought back from Jerusalem, some weeks previously. He left the room briefly, to check in the trunk of the Impala and returned with it clutched between his fingers, whistling nonchalantly as he came.

He rubbed his hands over the rough surface, fingers lingering across the earthenware, remembering again trapping first Raphael, then Gabriel in a ring of holy fire. He wondered if it would work again, whether they would find the angel responsible for leaving an empty vessel literally on their doorstep. Castiel came forward, took the jar from Dean's unresisting fingers and drizzled the oil in a perfect circle upon the floor.

Dean watched him, watched the look of utter concentration tightening Castiel's face, making him look serene, beautiful, more like the angel inside the body for the briefest of moments. Dean didn't look away when Castiel glanced up; their glances held, locked, and Dean was the first to smile. Castiel smiled all too briefly back, before finishing the circle, closing it and walking back to sit beside Dean. He hid the jar beneath the bed, before his arms circled Dean's waist, gazes locked once more.

"Follow my lead," the angel said, gruff voice pitched low and inviting as he leant in slowly.

"Always," Dean murmured, before their lips met, mouths working against each other in a soft, lingering kiss, aroused murmurs soon breaking the air between them.

They were still kissing when Steven came from out of the bathroom, steam curling from the tiled room beyond, to creep quietly across the main bedroom to his bed, so as not to disturb them again. Castiel heard him, still, one arm snaking out suddenly to light the ring of fire around the man's feet and breaking the kiss from his lover reluctantly. Dean chased Castiel's mouth in a needy gesture, and the angel gave him a swift kiss before turning to Steven once more. Dean pouted, tried to concentrate on the job at hand, eyes trained on the shocked man staring round at the flames surrounding his body.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked. "Are you crazy?"

"No, Steven," Castiel said, voice commanding, authoritative as he strode forward to stand in front of the man too frightened to cross the flames for fear of getting burnt.

"What are you doing?" Steven asked again, turning wide eyes that looked so similar to Castiel's own, both bright blue gazes reflecting back the dancing flames in warm shimmers as they stared at one another.

Castiel didn't reply, just started chanting, words lilting in rough Enochian words, face set in concentration as he worked.

"Whoever you are, show yourself," Castiel said, switching back to English when the Enochian chants were done.

"What are you - ?" Steven started to ask, before his back went stiff, rigid, face bleached of all color except for that which he borrowed from the flames in front of him.

His green eyes were wide, alien, seeming to bore through Dean as the thing which was no longer a man stared straight at the hunter, seeming to look right through Dean's body to his soul. Dean stared uncertainly, only slightly mollified by Castiel's reassuring gesture towards him, coming forward to stand by his lover, heat from the flames dancing over every part of exposed skin and warming his clothes.

"Who are you?" Castiel demanded, voice harsh, a true warrior of the Lord no matter his status in the eyes of Heaven right now.

-**tbc**-


	5. Chapter 5

"I am Azrael, Castiel," Azrael intoned from Steven's throat, turning his light tones into something richer, darker, more ominous that Castiel's own voice. "I mean you no harm."

"Makes you sound like an alien, dude. I come in peace," Dean remarked, looking amused by the angel's comment.

"Do not mock me, boy," Azrael snapped, flinging one arm out and up to point directly, menacingly at Dean. "Watch your tongue - you do not know of which you speak."

Dean remained silent, unfazed by the angel's threat as he'd faced worse in his lifetime. Castiel looked suitably unimpressed beside him.

"Cut the crap, Azrael," Castiel said, with a roll of his eyes that was strangely reminiscent of Sam. "I know as well as you do, that you're not here to harm anyone."

"Wait, you know this douchebag?" Dean asked, turning Castiel round to face him more fully.

"Yes, I have had the pleasure of meeting Azrael once or twice," Castiel said, with a smile. "He's on my side. Aren't you, Azrael?"

"Always, Castiel," Azrael said, with a small bow to Castiel. "I miss you in Heaven, you know."

"Same here," Castiel replied, sadly, eyes looking wounded by barely repressed memories flooding through his brain.

"Let me go, Castiel. I am not here to hurt you," Azrael said, voice suddenly gentle. "Or your human charge."

He turned curious eyes onto Dean, tilting his head to the side in a mirror image of Castiel's at his most curious.

"Although I think charge is not the right word in your case, Dean Winchester," Azrael said, musingly.

"Damn straight it's not. Me and him? We're a couple," Dean said, proudly, tilting his hand between his body and Castiel's.

Castiel also raised his chin, looking proud as though he held it a great honor to be Dean's boyfriend.

"So I am led to believe," Azrael said, sadly. "You are lucky, Castiel. For all your banishment from Heaven, you have found your place when others cannot. I cannot."

"Why not?" Dean had to ask, starting to feel a little sorry for the proud angel standing in the middle of a ring of fire before them.

"I have no free will to call my own, no charge to bond with, unlike my brother Castiel. Since his banishment from Heaven, and his subsequent drifting from the masses, he has learnt free will, grasped the concept where we cannot. He has a charge, he has you and everyone knows he loves you," Azrael said, turning his liquid green gaze onto Dean steadily. "I envy you, Dean Winchester. Look after Castiel, he deserves it."

"I will with every last breath in my body, I will," Dean promised him fervently, smiling when he felt Castiel's hand snake around his own.

"All is well with the world then, at least for you," Azrael said, gently. "Now, please, release me. I mean you no harm."

"Yeah, you said that already. Why did you leave that poor bastard in our doorstep while you were flying the feathered fandango somewhere?" Dean asked, smiling when Castiel refused to take his gaze from Dean's face.

"Steven? I left him with you, because I knew you would look after him. I have no one else to trust amongst my brethren," Azrael intoned, gaze shifting calmly from Dean to Castiel and back again. "Now I am back, called back here early before my work is done, but that is of no consequence now. My work was almost done for the time being, anyway."

"Forgive me for asking, but what were you doing?" Castiel asked, finally turning his gaze back to Azrael's once more.

"Pulling souls from Hell and putting them back on the right path to Heaven," Azrael said, proudly. "I am the Angel of Death and that is what I do."

"Fair enough," Dean asked, with a shrug. "But why take a human vessel anyway if you're downstairs or upstairs most of the time?"

"Even the angel of Death needs a vessel to walk on God's green earth, Dean Winchester. Call it a way of meeting the Joneses," Azrael said, with a benevolent smile.

"That's keeping up with the Joneses, dude," Dean said, with a short laugh.

"That is what I said," Azrael replied, with a humor filled smirk.

"You know, I like you," Dean said, with an approving nod. "You're not a dick like the other angels we've met. Although of course, not as much as I like Cas."

Castiel grinned suddenly at that, teeth flashing in the light from the flames at the compliment.

"Pity, I was rather hoping you would," Azrael said, with genuine disappointment. "I've heard a lot about you, Dean Winchester."

He left his statement open ended, and Dean didn't know where to look suddenly. Castiel stared at him hopefully, meaningfully, as though he knew something Dean didn't. Dean cast a glance at Castiel beside him, then to Azrael, then back to Castiel.

"Nah, seriously? Dude, did you just proposition me?" Dean asked the angel standing amidst the flames.

"I am not forcing you into anything, Dean," Azrael said, voice pitched low and enticing. "But one night with me, as well as Castiel, will not hurt you. In fact, quite the opposite. It will show my faith in you, Dean Winchester. I've never made this offer of anyone before."

"He hasn't, Dean," Castiel corroborated when Dean looked askance at him.

"I can't believe this is happening. I've just been propositioned into a threesome - I think - by a freaking angel," Dean said. "Are you alright with this, Cas?"

"Yes, Dean. If only to feel the touch, the presence of a fellow angel of the Lord, then I am fine with it. As long as it is only this once," and Castiel turned a heated gaze upon Azrael, forceful anger leaking from his eyes suddenly at that.

"Fear not, brother, I only want this once," Azrael said, gently, raising his hands in a placating gesture towards Castiel.

Castiel remained resolute, stiff, almost unbelieving and Dean touched his shoulder gently.

"He's telling the truth, dude," Dean said, gently, looking into Castiel's eyes when his lover turned his heated gaze to him. "I thought you said you were fine with this."

"Not permanently," Castiel said, stiffly.

"It will not be permanent, Castiel," Azrael assured him. "Now, kindly let me out,"

With an effort, Castiel turned towards the bathroom, picking up an abandoned mug on his way past, to return mere moments later, mug filled with water sloshing from it's sides. He poured the water carefully across one section of the ring of fire, breaking the seal and allowing Azrael permanent entry into the main part of the room.

"Thank you, brother," Azrael said, stopping in front of Castiel, close enough to kiss him if he so wished.

Castiel didn't move away, but his eyes were apprehensive. He flinched slightly when Azrael leant in, pressed almost perfectly matching lips to Castiel's own, mouths soon locked and working together as they kissed. Dean watched, unable to believe his eyes or his luck to see them kissing on front of his eyes, two almost perfect mirroring images of each other. His erection pressed against his jeans in an unwilling gesture, arousal coursing through him, despite the fact that he could see that Castiel wasn't enjoying the kiss as much as he did Dean's kisses.

Dean smirked at that, thought that of course Castiel enjoyed his kisses more than anyone else's, and he strode forward, joining the two kissing angels gently.

"Room for one more?" he asked, arms looped around the two angel's waists enticingly.

Azrael broke the kiss with Castiel and Castiel looked grateful. He turned to Dean, kissed him greedily, mouth hungry against Dean's lips, quickly turning the kiss dirty, messy, wet, hot. Dean's erection grew harder still and he moaned into Castiel's open mouth in need, want, arousal, pleasure. Azrael encouraged Castiel away before he, too, kissed Dean.

Although the kiss wasn't as nice or sexy as Castiel's, the kiss with Azrael was still a turn on for Dean and he felt Castiel's possessive arms knead at his back, his lover's erection digging into his thigh insistently. Azrael's own erection made a mirroring image against Dean's other thigh and the hunter drew away, dazed, breathless, overwhelmed by sensations assailing his body.

He turned to the bed nearest to them, saw the shadows of the flames flickering and dancing against the covers, slowly dying down, now that the ring had been broken. He started stripping off, clothes piling at his feet as Castiel undressed hastily beside him. Azrael watched them, smiling as they stood before him, naked, hard dicks curling up towards their abdomens as they stared adoringly at each other.

Azrael leant in, and said - "If this makes it easier for you, Dean, Castiel will be the one to penetrate you."

"Yes," Dean gasped. "Yes, please."

Azrael chuckled, then said - "All is good in the world and is as it should be."

He fell silent and watched them as they climbed onto the bed, legs entwined as Castiel's body slotted in against Dean's back like a perfect jigsaw puzzle. The angel of death undressed slowly, eyes still trained upon the lovers as Castiel leant in to press a gentle kiss against Dean's neck with ripened, kiss swollen lips.

Dean whimpered at the feel of Castiel's teeth grazing his neck, tongue licking and laving at the salt-sweat-slick skin at the nape of his neck, breath huffing and panting across the wet stripes in excited pants, needy moans bursting from Castiel's plump lips as he did so. Dean's back arched when he felt Castiel's hands flinch and clench against his hips, dragging him in closer to his lover's body, close enough to feel Castiel's erection digging into the back of the hunter's thigh.

Dean's mouth parted, and a groan escaped, breath shuddering against the air, beating and shivering the fire-shimmered air into shreds, mewls of need catching in his throat and making Dean shudder against his lover's body. He felt Castiel's lube slick fingers ease between his ass cheeks, stroking across his sensitive hole in tickling strokes, exploring the tight ring of muscles gently. Dean cried out at the contact, eyes flying open to stare blindly as Azrael approached the bed, naked, dick curling up towards his abdomen in readiness.

"Please, Cas," Dean begged, gaze fixing on Azrael with a look of blank regard in his green eyed stare.

The hunter's eyes snapped closed when he felt Castiel enter him, dick easing in gently, slowly, filling him with his hard shaft inch by painful inch, until the pain turned into pleasure and Castiel pushed all the way in until he was fully sheathed inside him. The bed dipped beneath the weight of Azrael sitting before them, one leg curving over Dean's body and tucking behind Castiel's. Azrael settled his hips close to Dean's face temptingly.

The angel's face smiled gently, as he traced the head of his dick across Dean's mouth, trailing pre-cum over the hunter's parted lips until they opened more for him willingly. Dean's body jerked with the first thrust into him from Castiel, a moan throbbing through Azrael's dick from Dean's throat as the other angel pushed his cock into the hunter's mouth. Dean swallowed him back eagerly, eyes rolling closed at the sensations of being filled from both ends.

Castiel's hips pounded into Dean's in rolling motions; pants, gasps, moans of need escaping his lover's throat as he fucked into him. Dean moaned around Azrael's cock, started sucking him off eagerly, head moving in time with Castiel's thrusts as the salty backwash of the angel's pre-cum slid down his throat in strands.

Dean's hand rose and rested on Azrael's thigh, his free hand wrapping around his erection before he started jerking himself off roughly, fingers forming a perfect circle around his straining cock. Never had he known such ecstasy, thrills coursing through his body at the feel of Castiel moving inside him and filling him up from behind, at the feel of Azreael's dick moving thick and heavy in Dean's mouth. The crazy thought of sucking Castiel off while being simultaneously fucked by him flitted through Dean's mind and his head started bobbing faster, moans growing louder and more insistent as Azrael's fingers laced through Dean's hair and steadied him, fucking his dick into Dean's mouth in rolling thrusts.

Castiel stared up at Azrael, eyes so similar to his own, slightly thinner lips parted as the angel's head was thrown back, chest heaving as he was pleasured by Dean's skilful mouth. The moans from Dean himself were beautiful, wrenched from deep inside his body at the feel of Castiel pounding into him, the feel of Azrael filling his mouth, the feel of his own hand roughly jerking himself off. Castiel shuddered at the perfection of the moment, sweat dripping into his eyes as he threw his head back, spurting deep inside his lover as he climaxed, thick ropes of his come filling Dean up and marking him as his.

Dean's hand moved faster still on his straining erection at the feel of Castiel's spend inside him and he came, filling his own hand with his release and coating the sheets beneath him with thick strands of his spunk. He screamed for Castiel, words muffled by the weight of Azreal's dick in his mouth, moving against his tongue and hitting his throat gently. He felt, then heard Azrael climax, filling Dean's mouth with his come and Dean tried to swallow it all, taking as much down as he could and wiping the rest away with his hand when Azrael withdrew.

Dean slumped against the sticky sheets, feeling drained, fucked out, yet sated, smiling, reaching instinctively for Castiel when his lover withdrew and settled into Dean's body at a tight, possessive angle. Azrael smiled down upon them both, laid his hand on first Dean's, then Castiel's forehead as though he were blessing them both.

"You are good children, both of you," he said, proudly, as if they were both his own, as though Castiel weren't his brother.

Dean was too tired to respond, already drifting off into the welcoming arms of weary sleep, supported by the loving arms of Castiel. Castiel himself smiled up at Azrael, mysterious, ethereal, matching smiles of understanding mirrored in perfect blue and green eyes, that matched and mirrored the world.

"Good bye, my brother and thank you. Good bye Dean, you're a brave and kind man - I can see why Castiel loves you so," Azrael said, bowing slightly, swiftly, before disappearing from the room in a swirl of wind, smoke, taking his abandoned clothing with him.

Both Castiel and Dean remained blissfully silent, and the hunter turned over in Castiel's arms and settled further into his embrace, drifting off into gentle sleep at last. Castiel continued to hold him, long after Sam was finally admitted back into the room casting worried glances down at his brother, then at Castiel.

"What happened? I couldn't get in. The door was locked. I've been out there waiting half an hour," Sam said, worry, concern trapped deep in his eyes, his words. "Is Dean alright?"

"He's fine, Sam, just tired," Castiel reassured the younger Winchester with a gentle smile. "Steven was a vessel for one of my brothers, Azrael. He's gone on his way, now. He'll leave us be."

Sam nodded, feeling uncomfortable and uncertain where to look with the sight of both Castiel and Dean laying naked and sprawled across the bed, uncertain as to whether he needed to know the reason behind their naked state and for Azrael's swift departure. He placed the pie on his own bed, for Dean when he woke up and disappeared into the bathroom gratefully, on the pretence of needing to use it.

When he returned, Dean was still sleeping peacefully, while Castiel seemed locked in a deep meditation. Sam was thankful this time that Castiel had thought to drape the sheets over their naked bodies and preserving Dean's modesty from his brother. He didn't think that Castiel would be as bothered by nudity as Dean invariably would be when he woke up.

"Are you gonna tell me what happened in here, Cas?" Sam asked, expression slightly sour as he suddenly thought of something. "You don't have to tell me everything, though."

He stared pointedly at their bed ridden state, and Castiel smiled, guessing his reticence immediately. He opened his mouth and started to tell them the particulars of Azrael's arrival back in his own vessel and his subsequent departure, leaving out the majority of the threesome they'd just shared ....

-fini-


End file.
